Rose's House
by minako
Summary: After the Moon Kingdom is overthrown by the Earth King the senshi are seperated and scattered on Earth. Being rewritten as of April 2009.
1. The Threat

"Well then hurry up," a gruff man yelled at a young blonde girl. Her cornflower blue eyes darted up to him, but other then this quick flick of movement she did not acknowledge his rudeness. She was a princess. She was a warrior. Right now, though, she was a prisoner. She walked in the only plain dress that she was allowed to leave the castle with, and the shoes, dreadfully stiff, had given her blisters. She could feel them each time she took a step, but again they were the only items she'd been allowed to take with her. She sneered at this man and his rude behavior. She had been thinking of ways to snap his neck before he'd yelled at her 'hurry up'. She allowed a slight smile to creep across her lips. Her wrists were chained together with thick metal cuffs attached to a heavy chain that the man was leading her along with.

All she had to do was run up to him, knock his feet from under him, and wrap that chain around his neck. She would choke him and relish the shocked look in his eyes as this sweet little girl drained the life out of him. She could not, however, do this and not endanger her princess; the girl whom she and her sisters had pledged their lives to. It was why she didn't try to rip this disgusting man's heart out. It was why her planetary powers had been allowed to be stifled.

Of course it was her fault that the war had been lost. Queen Serenity had been killed despite Saturn and Uranus's attempts at protecting her. Both had died during the battle on the Moon. She had failed her queen and princess by not defeating the invaders. The new queen, Beryl, had sent Venus and her three sisters of the guard to Earth away from Serenity. The only reason that she could think of was that they didn't want a revolution. The threat of death to the princess could only hold the four guardians at bay for so long. They were quick witted, and Beryl knew it. Beryl, Venus refused to call her queen, had wildly wavy red hair and pasty white complexion. She had neither been a leader of the war but for some reason had been given the right to rule the Moon once Queen Serenity had died. Venus did not understand why. The few times that Venus and her sisters had been in her presence had not impressed any great ability to do more then gloat over the power that she'd acquired. Still Beryl had been smart enough to separate the guardians from each other and their planetary powers. Beryl had been smart enough to threaten the only person any of them valued above all else, Princess Serenity.

The man who had been placed in charge of taking Venus to this small, disgusting place was one of Beryl's strongest soldiers, a captain from what Venus understood. He rarely bathed, if the smell of him was of any testament, and he was beyond narcissistic. He had learned quickly that Venus wouldn't allow him any leeway with his busy hands. She had kicked him hard in the stomach the night she'd caught him trying to climb on top of her. He'd had a sore gut for a few days. He would try to stealthily touch his stomach when he thought she couldn't see. It gave her some satisfaction when he did.

Venus looked up at the house that they were making their way towards. It looked about three stories tall with heavy dark stones covering it. All of the stones where of different sizes that made a pattern that neither looked out of place nor haphazardly thrown together. The windows were stain glass designs that sent rainbows of color peeking out from the dreary dark. The center window on the third floor was the largest of all of them with a gorgeous rose in the middle. The dark green glass thorns that wrapped around the glass stem where menacing. As if the beautiful object, like its live counterparts, was a warning to others that entering this house was to be cautioned.

Rose's House. That was what the smelly, disgusting man had called it. It was a whore house in its frankest sense. Women were sold into bondage to pay off gambling debts by their husbands, fathers, or any man who had held power over them. On Earth women were cattle to be bartered and sold. Venus had heard the stories both on the Moon and her home planet. The times she had ventured onto Earth had always been of a business sense. Those that she had met in Earth Kings castle, the few times she had visit on diplomatic events, had spoken about these practices as if they were distasteful, but not something they could actively oppose. After all, who would they have to entertain them?

Men were in charge on Earth. A mirror opposite from life on the Moon where their Queen was, had, been ruler. That was, of course, until Beryl took over just weeks ago. Venus felt a hot rage boil in her chest. It was so wrong, so evil, that she, a princess and warrior, was reduced to this kind of travesty. One would think that Beryl, being a woman who sought power and obtained it, would not inflict such a foul fate even on her enemies. Venus realized that this was a stupid notion to have held. She was obviously trouble for the new Queen of the Moon. Beryl had to deal with Venus and her sisters as less then human, because they posed the greatest threats. Pluto and Neptune had gone into hiding, and even though Venus felt anger at them she could not blame the two senshi.

Venus and the captain reached the heavy wooden door of the house. For all the beauty and splendor of the architecture and art it was still a whore house. Even the landscape was decorated with roses bordering along the outside walls of the house. The bushes sweet sent were carried along to Venus on a soft breeze. She wanted to enjoy the beauty of what she saw, but couldn't. Rose's House, it seemed, was a high ranking whore house. Venus smirked at the idea that she was at least an expensive commodity. The disgusting man rammed the brass knocker in the shape of a cherub's face three times. Venus felt her skin crawl and the hot ball of rage grow slightly. She didn't know what she was going to do. Run, and her princess and sisters were in danger of death. Walk in, and she would become a play thing for men, rich men, to fondle and grope. It was a cruel situation and she was sure that Beryl was smiling at the thought that Venus and her sisters were about to become no less then dirt underneath her shoes.

The door opened and a small girl stood before the smelly man. He looked at her with a hunger that he'd before only been able to treat Venus to. The small girl allowed him in after he placed a thickly padded envelope into her hand.

"Take this to Adonis, and be quick about it. I don't have your time, girly." The girl nodded and quickly turned and ran away clutching the thick envelope to her chest. The disgusting man turned to Venus with a sneer on his lips.

"Well, princess, looks like our little trip ended." He drew closer to her boldly reaching a hand toward her cheek. She quickly responded by cracking his nose with her elbow. As soon as she had accomplished breaking his nose Venus took her pseudo-submissive stance with both arms near her chest and her head slightly bowed.

"Don't touch me, pig," she growled at him. She bared her teeth in anger, and that hot ball of anger growled with her. What she wouldn't do to beat the crap out of this man. What she wouldn't do to let out her frustrations and anger on his greasy face. The man screamed in pain and surprise. He was covering his now bleeding nose with both hands cupped over his face.

"You little-"

"Well, aren't you a little ball of fire," a voice interrupted. Venus quickly followed the voice in the direction that the small girl had exited. A tall man with short white blonde hair was looking on at the scene as if it was the funniest display he'd seen in a long time. The small girl, Venus could now see, was clinging to his side. Her fingers tangled in the silver cape he wore. She was a pretty girl with a mess of spiral curls cut to her chin and dark hallowed eyes that had seen more then Venus cared to know. Or experience.

"They look my powers not my ability to fight," Venus spoke boldly. She wanted him to know exactly what he was getting himself into, this Adonis. What a ridiculous name.

"Funny," Adonis said smirking. "I was under the impression that was the only way you knew how to fight princess." He began to descend the stairs slowly without taking his eyes off of her. He had cold, ice blue eyes. There was no humanity behind them. Not when he looked at her. He just saw another woman. A woman who knew how to fight, but she was just a woman. Venus didn't respond.

Once he had descended the stairs and began to walk towards Venus the small girl detangled her fingers from his cape. She didn't seem to have any want to be near the woman that had just slammed her elbow into a captain's nose. The girl didn't want to be associated with a willful woman. Adonis's smirk widened. He walked close to her and glanced at the pathetic sight of the man clutching his nose gingerly.

"Must you nurse that bruise?" Adonis asked him sneering a little in distaste.

"My nose is bleeding! It's more then a bruise, you…" He stopped talking. He must have suddenly realized whom he was talking to. Venus stood straighter a small smile was proving hard to displace at that moment.

"Finish your sentence, Captain." Adonis said taking a few steps towards the man. Venus didn't understand how he could stand to be so close to such a filthy person. His stench alone had made her want to throw up the whole trip to this awful place.

"No," he said. "It's nothing General. I spoke out of turn." Adonis's icy glare continued for a few moments.

"Well, you're not as stupid as you seem to be." Adonis handed the man a new envelope and released him. He didn't want this man to continue to be here fouling up his home and making it most unpleasant for his customers. It was almost late evening. Soon the rich pigs of this planet would be making their way to this place to leer and grope the hallowed eyed women of Rose's House. Once the man left Adonis turned back to Venus. She was exhausted. Her feet ached and she was quite sure they bleed from her travel. Although she was disgusted by the Captain's stench she didn't feel much fresher. She knew what she must have looked like, but even then Adonis didn't seem to think of her in the same regard he did the man he'd just sent away. She wasn't sure what the look Adonis gave her was, but she suddenly was under the impression that she wouldn't be treated as just another commodity.

"Do you know what those envelopes contained?" Adonis asked her. She had stayed silent and still, but stood as straight as she could manage under the exhaustion she felt.

"No," she answered.

"That envelope, the one that your Captain treated like a rag, held papers stating that you are not a prisoner of war. Nor are you a citizen of the Moon. Do you know why?"

"If I am not a prisoner of war then I am not entitled to the right to be treated as one. I will not be released back to Venus, because I did not belong to Venus. I belonged to the Moon Kingdom." Adonis smiled.

"So what does that mean, princess?"

"That I belong to no one." Adonis nodded.

"And?" She'd had enough of his games. The ball of rage grew. She knew what he was getting at. She didn't belong to any one planet or the moon. She wasn't not to be given any of the rights attributed to the moon's citizens. She was nothing and no one. Exactly what Beryl wanted her to be so that she could do away with Venus and her sisters as she pleased.

"I have never belonged to anyone but Serenity, and the true Queen of the Moon." Venus spat at him. "I still belong to my princess and queen. Not to you. Not to Beryl. Not to the Earth kingdom." Adonis held Venus's metal chain that still connected to her metal wrist cuffs. He had taken it from the captain when they had exchanged 'pleasantries'. Venus had been watching him gingerly hold the chain in both his hands. Quickly Adonis yanked on the chain causing her to fall forward. Her exhausted feet gave out from under her and Adonis pulled Venus to him.

"Wrong little princess," he said. His breath was sweet and he smelt clean, but his voice was steel and sent a shock through her. He held the chain and her wrist cuffs in his own large and much stronger hands. "You belong to me."

Then, before Venus could put up a defense, the small girl jammed a needle into Venus's thigh. Hot liquid ran into it, burning her, and Venus took one swipe at the girl bashing her foot into the girl's face. The girl let out a short yell of pain and surprise. Adonis continued to hold her in his vice-like grip.

"Don't fight, my dear," he breathed in her ear. "It will only make the medicine work harder." Already Venus felt a light headedness. Her feet, which had already begun to give out, were now trying feebly to find solid ground. When they did she could not seem to make them do what she wanted. Adonis held her. His large hands wrapped around her shoulders as she tried to struggle and failed.

"You shouldn't have hit poor little Lilly like that. She was only trying to do her job." Venus breathed in his clean smell. She hated that he smelt so good, and all the while she knew she was losing herself in whatever drug he'd had that small girl pump into her. Quickly Venus's mind slipped and her eyes grew heavy. Before she could think or move or fight she blacked out.

***

"Why exactly is it that we are going to a whore house?" Endymion asked. He'd been reluctantly traveling with his guard, the four kings, for an hour on horse back. The four kings laughed at him.

"For the naked woman, my prince," Jadeite said cheerily. "What other reason would we go?" He was a man with more jokes then orders. He had sandy blonde hair and wore grey trousers with a white shirt. They were all dressed in similar casual attire because this was supposedly a time of celebration. The Earth Kingdom had fought and conquered the Moon Kingdom. Queen Serenity, ruler of the Moon, had ruled in a period of calm and quiet. But the King of the Earth had slowly been weary of her ability to lead. Or that the Queen of the Moon would not try to eventually begin to take over other planets, particularly the planet Earth. The king had put a woman in power on the Moon, Beryl, whom the four kings were weary of. If a woman in power had bothered the Earth King so much they did not understand how placing another into power would rectify things.

Still all four kings had been in battle for three years. All had decided that getting away from the castle, and going somewhere that they could allow their minds to drift in the company of beautiful woman was a good way to let off some steam.

Kunzite was the leader of the four guards. He was the most organized so it made sense for him to lead. He commanded authority. He was the one who took everything seriously. He also had a tendency to win at everything. Rather, it was more like he had to win. He was the most competitive and forceful. Jadeite was the most playful of the group. Nephrite was the best fighter. Zoisite was the smartest. He was strategic and thought out battles like a chess match. It was because of these abilities that Zoisite was Kunzite's second-in-command.

Prince Endymion blushed crimson, and looked away from Jadeite's very frank observation. Endymion was 19 years old, and one of the most troublesome of charges. Endymion was a stark difference from his father. Where his father was cold and calculating, and, Kunzite had to admit, held very little patience for almost anyone, Endymion was gentle and kind. Endymion had been one of the only ones to express displeasure about his father's decision to invade the Moon Kingdom. Endymion had also been the only who could actually voice such opinions to the King and not suffer accusations of treason. Kunzite was quite sure some of Endymion's protests had to do with the sweet little moon princess, but he could not be sure. Endymion never spoke of the girl, but the few times that she and her guard had visited the palace in times of peace both charges had disappeared more then once. This caused both Kunzite and the princess's guard, a blonde who wore an orange uniform, to run after them.

"It will be interesting to see what Rose's House has to offer. The prince should enjoy such a show at least once in his life." Jadeite laughed. Kunzite was not so sure that Endymion would enjoy any of what the house had to offer, but didn't object to the trip. He wanted to get out of the palace as badly as everyone else. It did not matter where or what. The last three years of war had drained him. He needed to let off steam just as badly as everyone else.

"There it is," Zoisite said. It had been one of the only things he'd said all night. The strawberry blonde haired man leaned forward on his horse's saddle. The house used to belong to a rich man with no heirs. He had sold the house and land at the beginning of the war so that he could retire to a much smaller cabin with less work and upkeep. The house had been sold to a man no older then Kunzite who offered beautiful woman as commodity. It was a distasteful practice for men to sell their daughters into this kind of slavery, but one that had traditionally prevailed for hundreds of years. While Kunzite didn't like the practice he didn't see much need to stop it. Men needed solace from the pressures of the day. This was one of the few ways deemed appropriate for him and his fellow generals. The four would never be allowed to marry or father children. Their lives were pledged in service to their prince who would one day marry and father his own heirs, but never the four generals.

All five men dismounted their horses and handed the reins to two stable boys that greeted them at the front gate. Endymion, Kunzite noticed, seemed to become much more nervous. He was not allowed to 'sample the wine' so to speak. He could only watch. It would be wrong to allow him to father children outside of the monarchy. Bastard children would only cause more strife for a kingdom, and the Earth King had pulled all four generals aside to ensure that they would keep him from bedding with anyone. It was obvious that the king didn't know his son.

"Welcome," a small girl with short, chin-length curls greeted them. She looked far too young to be in this place. Nephrite frowned to Kunzite. Surely such a small girl was not the entertainment. She stepped back and allowed the five men entrance. Four older women, at least in their early twenties, all dressed in silk skirts that started low on their hips and tops made of silk that stopped just underneath the women's busts showing off their flat stomachs, took the men's riding cloaks. The young girl was dressed similarly, but her top covered her whole torso. So this small girl was a hostess of sorts. It was not much better, but Kunzite supposed she'd been sold at a young age. This was a notion that saddened him as she showed the men to a large round table in a room with many smaller and larger tables.

"Please sit and I will bring the wine," the girl smiled and walked to the next room, presumably the kitchen, leaving the men alone as the women whom had taken their cloaks stood at the top of a stage and began to dance in quick seductive movements. Other men dotted the tables in conversation and various stages of drunkenness. The room was dark except for the bright lights that hung over the stage and the small candles that on each table. The smell of incense permeated the room.

"Well this is interesting," Nephrite commented. His face still reflected some disgust at the small girl with spiral curls. She had already shuffled back and had served them wine in glass goblets. Now that Kunzite got a good look at her she seemed no older then fourteen or fifteen. Jadeite was entranced with the women on stage and paid very little attention to the comments of his brothers.

"Yes very," Endymion agreed, taking up the goblet in front of him and sipping at the wine.

"What a nice surprise," a male voice interrupted them. All the men looked up to see a white haired man looking down at them. The young girl with curls was at his side looking down at the floor. Apparently she had gone to tell her master that guests had arrived. The man had a cold look despite his pasted on smile. "My name is Adonis. I own this establishment. I did not expect such royalty to visit my establishment. If I had you would have been properly greeted."

"We were looking for quiet tonight," Kunzite answered him. He did not smile or try to be cordial at all to this man. The longer he looked at the young girl the more he didn't like this place.

"Well if you want quiet, my lord, I have just the room for you to visit." Adonis's smile did not falter. He gestured to the door.

"Please follow me." The five men looked to each other, and each waited until Kunzite stood and took his wine goblet.

"It would be better to go to a room then stay here," he said. "Others might recognize us." The men nodded and stood. Adonis's smile grew a little more.

"Excellent, my lords. You will not regret this."

"For your sake," Kunzite said in a low voice. "I hope not."

***

Her head was blurry. She sat in a red room. The walls were covered in thin red fabric that was all connected in the center of the ceiling and ran along all of the rooms sides draped from hooks. Just underneath the hanging fabric were large red pillows and one very large table that sat low to the ground. She was behind a thin glass dressed in one of the silken outfits that the women wore. Her stomach was bare as were her arms. Her legs were covered in thin blue silk that matched her bustier. She'd had no idea how long she'd been in Rose's House. The hours had all run into each other and time had meant nothing in this room. Her thigh was sore from the injections that Adonis continued to give her, but he no longer needed to force her into them. She was kept in an almost constant state of fogged consciousness.

She knew all that was occurring around her, or at least was aware. She simply didn't have the ability to do more then she was told. Venus, the women who once commanded armies of warriors, was reduced to being a show. She was something to titillate the men who visited and cause them to lavish attentions on the woman that Adonis would tell to keep them company. He wanted her to entertain the men, but not be with them. He had other woman for that, he'd said; she was too precious for him to allow other men to touch. Adonis was a man with eyes that traveled across her body, but did not try to touch her. He did not allow any one near her except for himself and Lilly. She didn't understand this. She was kept so drugged that Adonis could surely take full advantage, but he did not.

His asking price for her show was too much for most of his customers to afford so the men that visited her were often royalty. She knew some of these men, and they might have recognized her if Adonis had not cut her hair to shoulder length and had her wear a thin bit of sheer fabric over her nose and mouth. She could use her dances to entrance a man so well that when another girl acted as her surrogate the men didn't mind. So long as they could see Venus dance the customers left her room satisfied. She swayed her hips in seductive and erotic movements, and sometimes she found herself enjoying the looks that the royals gave her. It had become a game to her, and she found herself getting more and more used to being watched then when she first entered this awful room.

As time passed she realized that she was beginning to loose sight of her former strength and pride. She found it hard to remember that she was more then the pricey girl in the window. She did not know why but sometimes it was hard to even remember her life before this room. Some days it was hard to remember her own name. She was grateful for the mask. It seemed to make the men easier to seduce, and kept her anonymity.

At night Adonis, who had first placed her in this room, came to her and stroked her cheek and kissed her lips. He tasted sweet. As if he had just eaten a fresh strawberry. Sometimes she found herself craving more of the man. But, when his lips no longer tasted of strawberries the man would leave and she would again be alone in that room. She was sickened when she found herself craving his visits. They were the only times that she could have any kind of real interaction beyond Lilly's visits.

The door opened in the red silk room. She could hear the faint sound of women and men walking in. She looked up. Her bangs had grown long and was now just past her nose. Adonis didn't like her bangs. He needed her to grow them out, and soon she wouldn't look like the solider that she had been. Soon she would look like any other girl in this forsaken place. Her cornflower blue eyes darted up and peered through the thin sunny blonde hair. Four of the men were dressed in gray trousers with white shirts and one, a younger black haired one, wore a black shirt with black slacks. Did she…?

One man with shoulder length white hair and light blue eyes seemed familiar didn't he? Hadn't she known him? The black haired one was very familiar as well. Wasn't he?

"Please sit," Lilly said. The men all took a seat on one of the pillows. Three older women had taken their places near them. Another woman carried a tray with fruit, and still another carried wine in gold bottle that had erotic images carved into it. The women were laughing and looking immensely interested in the men although none of them were talking. She could see them through the sheer red fabric and they had yet to take notice of her.

"This is one of our best rooms." Adonis walked in and told one of the women to pull back her curtain. "Our beautiful Morning Star will be very entertaining." Morning Star? Was that her name? What had her name been? She'd just had it hadn't she? Her mind swirled harder and the fog descended on her more fiercely then before. Seeing these men and almost recognizing them had caused her heart to pump harder which made the medicine that Adonis injected her with work harder. One of the girls opened the glass door and Morning Star took her hand. Adonis never allowed her out of the cage. She supposed that the reason he did so now was because this customers were extremely wealthy or there was something to be gained from it. Morning Star. That was what he'd called her. Was that really her name?

"Come here, Star," Adonis commanded her, almost lovingly. She did as she was told slipping her own smaller hand into his strong grip. He leaned into her body and whispered into her ear. "Dance for them." Morning Star nodded and two of the girls who had accompanied the men took out instruments and began to play. She started to dance with the music for the men. She swayed her hips and barely noticed when Adonis slipped out of the room with Lilly in tow bidding the men goodbye and smiling his cold smile.

Before long the men were entranced with her dancing. The way she ran her fingers along her body slowly passing over her hips and lower stomach then up towards her breasts. She marveled in each movement slow and deliberate trying to bring the men into a lull that would both please and satisfy them. None of the girls tried to touch the men at this point. They were waiting for the men to instigate something or for them to fall into a deeper trance, whichever came first. The deeper the men fell and the longer they stayed in this room the more Adonis could charge them. Everyone was to take their time and play their parts.

One of the men stood up. At first Morning Star didn't notice. She simply continued to dance with the music. None of the women moved. None of them seemed to notice what was happening until the man's hands, calloused and rough from hard work, slipped along Star's bare stomach. Star didn't move and suddenly her heart beat so hard that the fog began over take her. His hands felt so warm and good against her skin. She didn't turn. She didn't speak. When the man leaned into her he whispered into her ear. He smelled like the roses outside. The same scent that had greeted her when she had first entered this place. His breath on her ear, his warm body pressing against her back, it was all so intoxicating.

"I know you," the man whispered. He knew her? He knew who she was?

"You do?" she asked. The man nodded. His silver white hair fell from his shoulder and another blast of rose scent hit her. Her heart hammered in her chest. She wondered if he knew what he was doing to her. The man reached for the sheer fabric that masked her face from him. His eyes were in deep concentration trained solely on her face.

"Don't," she whispered. "Please don't." She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't want this. She didn't want him to see her face. Not in this horrible place. If he knew her then he could tell her her name. He could lift this fog from her. She couldn't stop him. She didn't have the strength to stop him from removing her mask. Nor did she relish the up close view of his eyes tracing her face and the sudden realization that he had when he recognized her.

"Venus?" he said slowly. "You're Princess Serenity's leader of her guard?"

Venus…

It was all too much. The medicine had worked its way so well into her system and the fog fell so harshly over her that his realization and her heart finally caused her to black out.


	2. The Price

"What do you mean there's nothing we can do?" Kunzite yelled. He was standing in the Earth Kingdom castle with both his hands slammed against the smooth mahogany desk of a fat man. This man's only job was to advise on subjects of diplomacy and legalities. The man wore a uniform but had never seen one minute of battle, unlike Kunzite and his brothers. Normally this didn't phase Kunzite, but at that moment all he wanted to do was to rip that uniform off the man and set it on fire.

"I mean that we can't do anything," the man, Charles Ivy was his name, said. He looked rather annoyed at the fingerprints that Kunzite was leaving on his pristine desk and the way some of his papers were crinkling under Kunzite's hands. "That girl was-"

"She has a name," Kunzite sneered. The man peered up at Kunzite with beady brown eyes, waited a moment, then cleared his throat before continuing.

"That girl was purchased by Adonis. She legally belongs to him." Charles took a few papers that were underneath the tight grip of Kunzite's hands and yanked them out. Kunzite in turn stepped back and tried to show a bit of calm. Charles handed Kunzite the crinkled papers, and he took them and glanced over them. It wasn't like Kunzite wasn't educated. He had to be extensively schooled in order to serve in one of the highest positions of power just below the royal family. However, reading the dribble that Charles Ivy was handing him while bubbling over with anger didn't help things. Within seconds Kunzite threw the papers back on Charles' desk.

"What the hell are these?"

"Those, sir, are the papers denouncing Princess Venus from the Moon Kingdom. There are even more papers that are signed by the Princess that she renounced her claim over the Venusian throne in order to become Princess Serenity's leader of the guard; effectively stating that this girl belongs to no one. Adonis was in his full legal rights to purchase her under our laws. There is nothing we can do." The man stood up, brushed off his coat, and walked to his office door.

"Now if you please, Lord Kunzite, leave. There is much that I have to prepare for and you are hindering my progress." Kunzite grabbed the nearest small object, which ended up being a small framed portrait of Charles and possibly his wife that he possibly had not hung yet, and snapped it in half. With a small bit of frustration eased and satisfaction gained Kunzite exited Charles Ivy's office with a slight smirk on his face.

Around a dining table in a room with his brothers and charge Kunzite retold his findings with even more anger bubbling up inside of him. All three of his brothers nodded and looked appalled at times that were appropriate. Endymion, however, simply watched Kunzite fume with an indescribable look. Kunzite wasn't even sure if he was paying attention until Endymion spoke.

"What of the Princess?" he asked. He leaned forward on his elbows and rested his chin on his clasped hands. "She fled after father put Beryl in charge. We assume it was with the other two soldiers who went into hiding, who were they?"

"Neptune," Jadeite said solemnly. After seeing Princess Venus he had become rather disturbed with the whole idea of brothels. "You remember her? She was the teal haired one who played a really good violin."

"And Pluto," Nephrite said. "She was the quiet one with red eyes." Nephrite drummed his fingers on the wood staring at a short glass of whiskey.

"Princess Serenity is not really in danger if this is true," Zoisite said. "She has at least two of her guard protecting her. Going into hiding isn't exactly a bad idea either after your kingdom gets overthrown. Her mother is dead, after all. There is no one else to protect her."

"What about the other three senshi?" Jadeite asked. He had brought this up the night before after he and the other two brothers ended up dragging Kunzite out of Rose's House. It hadn't been a pretty sight when Kunzite had recognized Venus, and she in turn blacked out. They had no idea if she woke up or if she had lapsed into a coma. Kunzite had ended up seeking out Adonis and broke his nose before the others had been able to intervene.

"They must have been sold like Venus," Nephrite offered.

"It's a perfectly reasonable conclusion." He said after Kunzite let out and exasperated groan.

"It is reasonable," Kunzite said. "But, how exactly are we supposed to know how to find them. They could have been sold-" Kunzite spat the word as if it burned his tongue to say it. "-anywhere."

"True," Endymion agreed. All five men look solemnly at each other before finally Zoisite spoke.

"We need to purchase Venus."

The other men looked at him with alarm, and some audibly protested before he raised his hand for silence.

"It's the best way around the laws, isn't it? If we purchase her we could inquire as to where the others are. Say we wish to purchase them for our own personal use." Zoisite's eyes narrowed and Kunzite could hear the disdain in his voice near the end. The other men stayed quiet. Kunzite didn't like the idea of purchasing the woman. Just hours before he hadn't cared one way or the other about any woman being bought and sold on Earth, but, suddenly, seeing Venus and knowing her personally made him furious. He'd known her. He'd worked with her. He had respected her for her diligence and strength as both a leader and a fighter. He agreed with Zoisite. They would have to follow the rules as much as he hated them at this very moment. Kunzite and Zoisite both agreed to go to Rose's House and that he would purchase her. Nephrite and Jadeite had both protested, but eventually Kunzite won out. He was the leader, and they would do as he wished. Throughout the whole conversation Endymion stayed quiet.  
***

E_arth Moon Kingdom Royal Palace—Three Years Before_

Kunzite stood watching as two of his soldiers sparred in a make-shift ring bordered by nothing but more of his warriors. Today they all freely spared as he and Nephrite watched over giving pointers or telling the men what they were doing wrong. Zoisite and Jadeite, much to the former's annoyance, were in the palace meeting and greeting the Moon visitors. Princess Serenity and two of her guard, Jupiter and Venus, were making a cordial visit on Earth. It had been the second time that the Moon people had visited. The first was when Queen Serenity, a starkly beautiful woman who had long silvery hair that fell almost to her feet, visited to introduce herself to the Earth King. Prince Endymion's father had come into power just three months before after his father had died of old age.

Kunzite had met the queen before, at the time he was only 15, and despite her calm demeanor and regal aura he had trouble understanding why a woman was ruling a kingdom. Where was her husband? What had happened to him? No one ever dared to ask. There was always quiet mutterings, but because the Earth kingdom kept to themselves no one really knew.

"Hello, my brother," a hand clasped Kunzite's shoulder. He barely gave a nod to the hand having recognized the voice as his brother Zoisite. He couldn't take his eyes off the fight. Right now one of their strongest men, his name was Krom, was punching the crap out of one of their better fighters, Ariod. Despite Ariod's ability to fight he had not guarded his left side which Krom had taken advantage of by grabbing the other man and delivering a good three punches to Ariod's face before the latter had been able to dodge out of the way. All around them the men were cheering and booing in accordance to their favored solider.

"Done showing the women around, brother?" Kunzite asked after yelling at Ariod to watch his left. "What did they do? Make you have tea and biscuits?" Kunzite smirked at his little joke.

"No actually," a feminine voice answered. "We already had our tea on the trip over." Kunzite, taken aback, turned his head to see who and answered his question. A pair of cornflower blue eyes and a slight smile of rose pink lips greeted him. Her sunflower yellow hair was down almost to her thighs in length, and she wore a short skirted sailor suit with heeled orange shoes.

"Sailor Venus," she said, extending her gloved hand in greeting. Stunned Kunzite could only return the shake but did not say anything. Behind her were two more girls. One bared a very striking resemblance to Queen Serenity. In fact had she been any taller with less girl-ish features, he could have easily mistaken her for such. The other had shoulder length light brown hair that was pulled up in a ponytail, and had forest green eyes. They both spoke a greeting and turned to watch the fight. At that point Ariod was caught up in a choke hold and finally Nephrite, who was on the other side of the circle, had to declare Krom the winner. Just as the fight was over all the soldiers began to realize that women were in their presence. They all grew quiet and stared at the women as if they had all sprouted second heads and tentacles for arms.

"Zoisite," Nephrite started after crossing the circle to meet them. "Why did you bring these ladies to the fighting grounds?" A few of the men around then whispered or nodded in agreement.

"Princess Venus asked if we could visit." Zoisite said matter of factly. "So of course I complied."

"A woman shouldn't be down here," Kunzite snapped at him. "They could get hurt."

"Hurt?" Venus asked, still smiling slightly. A playful look in her eyes flashed across her face. "Oh I think we can hold our own, Lord."

"Really," Kunzite said. "You can fight? You look no heavier then, what? 110-115 pounds?"

"128," she answered. "Muscle weighs more." She certainly doesn't look too muscular, Kunzite thought.

"Would you be willing to prove it?" Nephrite asked. Now he smiled gleefully at the idea of fighting a new opponent. Even though that opponent was a woman, apparently, it made no difference to Nephrite.

"Surely." She spoke with confidence and leisure. As if the idea of sparing with a much taller more muscular opponent was nothing to her. She picked up her long hair and preceded to twist it up and secure it into a tight French knot with only her bangs loose over her forehead. Nephrite began to take off his uniform jacket and smiled even wider now.

"You sure you don't want me to go easy on you?" he asked in jest.

"Can I use my magic or is this a physical match only?" she asked.

"Please, Princess, use magic." He answered, stretching his arms. "I have a few tricks of my own." Venus smiled openly now and winkled at her companions. The brown haired one gave her thumbs up in return, and the silvery blonde yelled out "Don't hurt him too much!" which caused several of the men to laugh.

Both opponents took their places on opposite sides of the ring. The men all crowded round with new vigor and some even took bets on how long the girl would last. Kunzite ignored them all, and a pit of worry knotted itself in his stomach. He would have to intervene once Nephrite got into the fight. He was sure that Venus would get beaten badly. She was tiny, and despite her protests, he was sure she wouldn't be able to take a punch. Nephrite threw his jacket to the side of the ring telling one of the other soldiers to hold it. He took an attack position with his feet spread and planted firmly with his hand up and his elbows bent. Venus took no such potion. She stood with both legs together and now holding a chain that had before been wrapped around her waist.

"Let's get on with it," the brown haired girl yelled. She looked as itching for a fight as Nephrite. She raised her hand above her head and began to count down. "3, 2, 1! Fight!" Nephrite sprinted for Venus possibly wanting to immediately knock her down or intimidate her with his huge frame. The princess instead kept her position and her smile. Just as Nephrite swung his right arm into a downward punch to Venus's kidney the woman leapt. She lightly touched his head as she flew over Nephrite's head first. Then she thrust both legs out making contact with Nephrite's back, and, using him as her leverage, bounced right off him and neatly came to a stop on the ground like a trained gymnast.

Nephrite, in his surprise and from the blow to his back, fell forward before catching himself and whirling around to face Venus. He looked confused. As if he didn't really understand how the woman got to the other side of the ring. Now Venus stood with a similar attack position as Nephrite had started with. In between her hands was the chain that she had been holding. Nephrite didn't attack. Using brute force had failed to either catch her off guard or scare her. Now, Kunzite knew, he was thinking of a better way to attack. The men around them looked shocked, and several trained their eyes on the Venusian girl. Others stared at Nephrite to see what he would do next.

Venus attacked next. Her chain had begun to glow bright yellow and quick as a cat she thrust the chain at Nephrite who caught it. The glowing possibly meant that the chain was hot since Kunzite saw Nephrite flinch in pain, but he did not drop it. He yanked on the chain trying to make Venus fall. Venus anticipated this and she ran just as quickly as she had thrown the chain towards her opponent. Then, she was on top of Nephrite giving him a good roundhouse kick to the head and landing on the floor two feet away from him. Nephrite didn't let go of the chain, but the kick had hurt him. Venus looked seriously at him. She had to have known that Nephrite wouldn't go down as easily as that. Plus he had her chain. Had she not run at him he probably would have succeeded at knocking her off her feet. She didn't seem to like him being so close to her. Kunzite could tell that a small bit of her wavered, unsure of attacking, and she stared at her opponent who not only held onto her glowing chain, but also didn't seem to feel her kick. Perhaps now Venus was thinking twice about challenging him.

Although Venus looked shaken she didn't let more then a flicker of that uncertainty to flash across her delicate features. Her easy smile replaced the short frown and now both opponents were staring at each other trying to think of the next best method of attack. The crowd was a loud roar in Kunzite's ears. The men cheered on Nephrite, and the Venusian's companions cheered for her. Kunzite remained silent with Zoicite next to him. Finally, Venus attacked. Over the noise of the cheer Kunzite almost missed what Venus yelled.

"Rolling Heart Vibration!" She was calling out her attacks. She must have done the same when she threw the chain and he hadn't heard her. Maybe that was why it had been glowing? A blast of energy flew from Venus's gloved hands and flew towards Nephrite. He could swear that the energy was heart shaped, and for a moment he feared that Nephrite would dodge the attack and it would hit the soldiers on that side of the ring.

Nephrite didn't flinch from the energy attack headed towards him. Instead he grabbed onto the energy as if it was solid and flung it upwards where, Kunzite saw, it exploded into nothingness. Then a loud sound of disapproval rumbled through the crowd. Kunzite looked back to the opponents where Venus was invading Nephrite's territory repeatedly punching, kicking, and attacking him at all angles. Kunzite didn't know what had happened and when he looked to the brunette haired senshi next to him he saw that her eyes were trained on the two fighters.

"What happened?" He asked her. She didn't turn to face him, but she answered none the less.

"She used it as a distraction. While he was busy getting rid of the energy she was on top of him." The brunette grinned in approval; her green eyes glittering. "She knew he could handle that attack. Damn, even I didn't know that." Kunzite looked back to the fight where Nephrite was struggling to fend off a whirled orange blur of punches and kicks. She knew he could handle the attack? She knew he would push it away? How did she know that? Had she done research on them?

"The answer is yes," the brunette answered. "You're wondering how she knew? She did some research on you and your kingdom." Kunzite looked at her trying to give an impression of nonchalance where as inside his head was swimming with questions. Of course he hadn't expected these Moon people to come and visit another kingdom without doing some research, but knowing what, possibly, he and his brothers could do? That would have taken months. The Earth King hadn't extended many offers to Queen Serenity to visit the Earth. To Kunzite's knowledge this was the first invitation extended to the Princess and her guard.

"We women aren't so weak," she said, coldly. "We're just as capable and just as fierce as you. And it seems to me my friend out there is kicking your friend's ass." Kunzite looked back to Nephrite who still was having problems just catching his breath while Venus continued to pummel him. Her kicks and punches weren't strong enough to knock him down all at once, but this continuous barrage of attacks was wearing him down. Finally, Venus backed away, and Nephrite knelt down in defeat. Venus was breathing hard, but stood just a few feet away in an attack pose. Both of her hands up in defense, and her feet firmly planted.

Kunzite raised up his arm signaling the end of the match.

"Well done, Sailor Venus," he said reaching for her hand and shaking it. "There aren't many who can defeat my brother, Nephrite." Venus took Kunzite's hand and smiled the same easy smile as before.

"He certainly gave me quite a work out. I am sure that this was one of his off-days." She was being polite, and political. Don't make the men who think they're king feel too foolish, but she had beaten down one of the best fighters on Earth. Kunzite was intrigued. He suddenly understood the Earth King's motives for wanting to meet with these women from the Moon.

***

_Rose's House – Present Time_

Venus sat in her room, the glaringly red, silken room, with tears falling down her face. They fell one after the other in slow symphony. She breathed deeply and slowly trying to get her mind to clear. Lilly sat near her holding a small syringe in her hands. The girl only reached Venus' chest when they both stood, and Venus knew that she could overpower her. But the drugs, even near the end of their life, made everything so much harder. Her legs felt so much heavier and her arms like lead weights. Venus sobbed when Lilly told her about the men who'd come to see her the night before. She knew them. She was sure of it. Even through the muddled sludge that was her memories she remembered them. She felt foolish, embarrassed. She wanted to not exist in this horrible fog of a life.

"Why are you doing this to me?" She softly asked the small girl.

"Master Adonis told me to," she replied quickly. "He owns us. He owns both of us. You and me. You have to do what he asks."

"No," Venus sobbed. "I am a princess, a warrior. I don't have to do any of what he asks me." Lilly stood up and walked to Venus and placed one small hand gingerly on Venus's shoulder. Venus shuddered and flinched away in pain. A deep hot pain that didn't quickly disappear but spread along her shoulder and part of her back.

"What?" She turned her head trying to see just why her back hurt so much. One angry stripe glared at her. Her skin was welted and puffy from what looked like an injury from a whip.

"Lay down," Lilly said. "I've got some salve that will help it heal." Venus struggled to remember when she had received such a beating.

"It happened when you were unconscious," Lilly answered her unspoken question. "Master was furious when those men came to him and punched him. He said that you lost him five excellent clients. He assumed it was something you'd done." Venus's tears fell down her face more freely as Lilly began to apply a very cold something to Venus's back. In the bowl that Lilly had brought when she first came to visit was some mossy green mixture that Lilly was spooning onto her fingers and spreading on Venus's back. Every touch burned for a few moments, but the salve did seem to be helping. Venus couldn't understand why she hadn't been able to feel these welts before. Had she been so out of it?

"Master Adonis said that it didn't matter that you were unconscious," Lilly continued. "He said that you would feel it in the morning. He was right." Venus flinched at the combination of cold and pain. She lay on the ground sobbing, not knowing what to do next, and she hated that she felt this weak. This sobbing mess wasn't who she was. This shell of person that was slipping away wasn't who she was.

"He isn't my master," Venus said. She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Lilly.

***

Adonis sat in a chair in his office. It was an oversized, over stuffed chair made of the finest oak wood and covered with the softest red velvet. One of the women was on his lap serving him grapes while another stood next to him giving him sips of wine. After his little altercation with that white haired man who was quickly dragged out of Rose's House Adonis had been in a foul mood. He'd punished Venus even if she had been unconscious. It had taken some of the fun out of beating her soundly with a whip, but he knew she'd be in agony anyway. He'd even told Lilly to delay Venus's medication just so he could be sure she'd feel the pain of his wrath before her mind and memories were fogged over.

The women on his lap began kissing his neck. She was trying to make him happy, he knew, because she didn't want his foul mood to fall onto her. He was a stern master. He expected his girls to bring in good money. They owed him so much, after all. The money he had paid their fathers and husbands for them was just the beginning. Then there was the food, the clothing, the sheer expense of the wine and liquor that the men enjoyed. None of it came cheap. Then there were those times of the month when his girls couldn't work. Those times they made almost no money at all. Those were the times that his temper with them was the shortest, and they all knew it. He never bought ugly women. He wanted a return on his investments, and more.

If these girls only knew what it took to keep them fed, clothed, and clean. No man wants a woman with her teeth falling out or a disease that they could catch. It also took doctors and anything else to make sure that his girls were the most sought after. Venus had been an expensive attraction for rich men. There was something in that woman's dance and eyes that made men want to stare and appreciate her in a way that no other woman in his possession ever had been able to. Even Adonis, himself, found it hard to keep his mind from drifting to her at times. Her beauty was so unique.

The women began to travel down Adonis's body and he felt some part of his mind begin to relax and his mind ease a bit. She untied his pants and began to do the thing that she did best to relax him. Her mouth was warm and Adonis's thoughts turned back to Venus. Venus's eyes where the worst of it. They seemed too suck him in and after a bit he couldn't tell how she placed a trance over him. When Queen Beryl had come to him and asked him to purchase one of the four girls she had he hadn't been sure about buying a woman who was used to taking charge. In fact, he was rather sure that she would be a poor investment. She would fight and possibly make his other girls rebel.

"Don't fret," Queen Beryl had said. "I have a medicine that you can give her. I'll include it with the purchase. This medicine will fog her mind and make her docile. She will be putty in your hands. Just remember to administer it as soon as you see her, and continue to administer it every day twice a day. She will be as sweet as a tiny kitten purring in your hands." Adonis had done so. Every day for the past two months, and until those men had walked in she had been a purring kitten in his hands. He didn't know where Queen Beryl had found this medicine or how she had created the syringe, as she called it, but there simply wasn't much known to him about the Moon Kingdom. He was sure that this medicine belonged to them and when Queen Beryl took over she quickly found uses for it.

Soon the girl was done with her job, and Adonis sent both women away. He wanted to be alone and while the girl had relaxed him he was still furious. Just moments after he had sent the girls away a knock came to his door. Lilly walked in carrying the empty syringe and bowl of salve. Adonis had not liked easing Venus's pain, but it was essential that his investment not get sick. Then he would loose even more money, and that did not make him happy.

"Master," Lilly said putting down the items on a nearby table. "Those men from last night are here." Adonis scowled. He'd hoped that he would never hear from those men again. Apparently, he wouldn't be so lucky. He stood and patted Lilly on the head before he walked out the door to the parlor near the front door. There stood the white haired man from the night before and his friend with the curly strawberry blonde hair. Both men looked uncomfortable, but the white haired one looked furious. He could hear the strawberry blonde telling the other man that he needed to calm down.

"Gentlemen," Adonis greeted them. "How can I help you?" Both men looked at him as if evaluating him, and the blonde haired man spoke first.

"We, sir, came like to apologize for my brother's anger last night," he said. The white haired man grunted and nodded a stiff nod. "We had had quite a bit to drink the night before, and my brother can become a mean drunk." Adonis looked from one man to the other.

"You are my clients," he said cautiously. "Anything I can do to make you happy is my job and pleasure to do. If the woman did anything to anger your friend I assure you I have already punished her." The white haired man's fists clenched and Adonis saw a look of what could only be interpreted as hatred flash in his eyes.

"Just the opposite," the blonde answered. "We are interested in purchasing her." Adonis was taken aback. He had not expected this.

"We will pay you handsomely." This time it was the white haired man who spoke. His voice sounded grated, as if each word was more difficult then the next to get out.

"I am afraid that I do not wish to sell her," Adonis said. He was growing weary of their presence. This trip was not about apologizing, but about the girl. Why was she so important to these two men? She was a beautiful girl, captivating, but she was not something Adonis wished to part with. She made too much money and was too highly in demand by his royal clients. He did not think that the payment that these men would pay would compensate him for what he would loose.

Still he did not have to include the medicine he'd been giving her. After it wore off she would become a tigress again and after these men got sick of her they could return her. Perhaps, then, this was a way for him to make even more money off of the Venusian girl. Adonis smiled slightly at this realization. He nodded at both men.

"No," he said. "How about we make a deal?"

"Deal?" the white haired man asked. His eyebrow arched in curiosity.

"I will sell her to you, not cheaply to be sure, but with your sworn oath that if you should become tired of her you will sell her back to me. I can assure you that I will not be able to pay you as much as you will pay me since she will be worth less, but I want to have first bid for her." Both men looked at each other. Adonis could tell that both were unsure of this deal, but he was sure that it was a deal that they would not pass up.

"How much do you want?" the white haired man asked.

Adonis smiled.


End file.
